God is on the move and as DMI (Disciple Maker Increase) we continue to pursue the dream He’s given us to release 50 new movements through our global community of trainees and alumni. Reports are coming in and it’s thrilling to see the progress! Yesterday, I spoke with one of our trainees who makes disciples in refugee camps in East Africa. He’s started 60 new disciple-making groups among typically resistant people groups there in that camp. Those new disciples are beginning to reach others, and a new Kingdom movement is beginning. Glory to God!
Training Multiplies Across Africa and Asia
During the pandemic, all onsite Disciple Making Movement training ceased. This was true not only for us, but for many. It’s part of what caused DMI to grow. Now that we can train in person, however, we have been working to go onsite to visit alumni of our courses, those who are seeing fruit, and need more hands-on coaching. This is yielding some incredible results!
Over the past few months, we have run onsite training in Southeast Asia, Tanzania, and Malawi. Alumni have come, but they’ve also brought others they want our team of coaches to train. Through this, several new movements are emerging. We’re especially excited about how God is using young people!
Making Disciples Among Thieves
In East Africa, a new movement is growing. It was started by a man who hosted the onsite training held in January. God is working through him to train and equip hundreds of local Kenyans to share their faith. Then, as they believe, they are trained to follow Jesus.
Andrew is a faithful man who listens to and obeys God’s voice. Some months ago, he felt the Lord leading him to reach out to a man who was part of a notorious gang of thieves. This gang is feared by many in Kenya and is known to be ruthlessness. A gang member’s daughter died suddenly, and there was no place to bury the child. The father had approached several pastors but they were afraid to get involved and help. This man was not a member of their church.
Following the prompting of the Lord, Andrew went to the gang member’s house. Some of his friends warned him to be careful. “Don’t take your phone with you. They are all thieves and robbers,” they said. Knowing God wanted him to do so, Andrew went anyway.
As he entered the home, he greeted the man and said, “I’m here to help. I heard about your daughter.” He then crossed the room and hugged this man tightly. Tears streamed down his cheeks. “God loves you and He sees your pain and loss.” Andrew then helped him to bury his child and make arrangements.
After the burial, Andrew shared the message of Jesus’ love and began to study the Bible with him and his friends. Soon, he committed his life to Christ and was baptized. He’s now looking for a way to feed his family through honest work instead of stealing. And, a discovery study has begun with other friends in the gang. They too are beginning to hear about the love of Jesus.
Altogether, that movement now has over 100 house churches and discipleship groups! More than 500 have taken baptism. It is still in the early stages of growing into a sustainable movement, but God is working powerfully. We believe it will continue to grow as the 500 become 1000, then more – the Gospel message spreading rapidly through that region!
Join Us in Making an Impact
Disciple Makers Increase (DMI) impacts many who, like Andrew, want to serve God and reach the lost. They are learning how to do this both through online courses like the Getting Started in Disciple Making Movement course, and through onsite follow-up trainings. Then, they become part of our community of global practitioners, where they receive ongoing coaching, encouragement, and pray with others pursuing the same dream of multiplication, step by step moving forward toward seeing groups of disciples who make disciples in their areas.
We need your help!
This month we are asking God for the finances to be released so we can run several more onsite trainings this year. We want to see hundreds more trainees take these life-changing online courses.
We believe in the power of prayer to catalyze movements of disciples! By fasting a meal, or even just a cup of coffee and giving the cost of that to DMI’s ministry, you can help us continue to reach many more people like the thief mentioned above. Even if you can’t give, consider joining us in prayer for more movements to be released! Your gift, big or small, is greatly appreciated and goes a long way in making this work possible. Go to https://www.disciplemakersincrease.org/donate to make your contribution today!
God is good